Compare towns

Middlesex vs Springfield vs Middlebury

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
Springfield has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Middlebury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).
Middlebury is a college town. 32.6% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.

What matters to you?

Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

MeasureMiddlesexSpringfieldMiddlebury
People
Population
1,943Lowest
9,084
9,175Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+2.8%
VT: +2.8%
-3.3%Lowest
VT: +2.8%
+7.7%Highest
VT: +2.8%
Median age
44.4±3.9Highest
3% above VT
43.2±3.7
about the VT average
31.8±3.7Lowest
26% below VT
Middlesex and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
21.3%±3.1Highest
VT: 17.9%
18.6%±3.4
VT: 17.9%
11.6%±1.9Lowest
VT: 17.9%
Middlesex and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
20.6%±3.7Lowest
VT: 21.4%
23.6%±3.7Highest
VT: 21.4%
20.7%±2.6
VT: 21.4%
Springfield and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
54.7%
VT: 43.8%
23.3%Lowest
VT: 43.8%
55.4%Highest
VT: 43.8%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.2%±2.6
VT: 7%
2.3%±1.4Lowest
VT: 7%
32.6%±1.1Highest
VT: 7%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$109,632±$13kHighest
35% above VT
$66,571±$13kLowest
18% below VT
$86,169±$16k
6% above VT
Middlesex and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$376,300±$40k
19% above VT
$192,400±$20kLowest
39% below VT
$409,700±$30kHighest
29% above VT
Middlebury and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,333±$359Highest
8% above VT
$963±$100Lowest
22% below VT
$1,156±$113
6% below VT
Middlesex and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$6,483
29% above VT
$4,807Lowest
5% below VT
$6,868Highest
36% above VT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
0%±100Lowest
VT: 48.4%
49.6%±15.6
VT: 48.4%
50.9%±14.4Highest
VT: 48.4%
Middlebury and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
3.8%Lowest
VT: 10.1%
14.8%Highest
VT: 10.1%
10.7%
VT: 10.1%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
96.7%Highest
VT: 73.2%
67.7%
VT: 73.2%
65.1%Lowest
VT: 73.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1986Highest
10 yrs newer than VT
1958Lowest
18 yrs older than VT
1976
same as VT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
27 minHighest
17% above VT
27 min
16% above VT
16 minLowest
33% below VT
Work from home
28.4%±10.7Highest
VT: 16.9%
15.1%±5.5Lowest
VT: 16.9%
18.8%±4.1
VT: 16.9%
Middlesex and Middlebury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading — #64 of 70 in VT #17 of 70 in VT
School district Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 River Valley Technical Center · Springfield School District Patricia Hannaford Career Center · Addison Central Unified Union School District #55
High school in town None in town Springfield High School Middlebury Union High School
Students per teacherat that high school —
14.3Highest
12.6Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History None yet None yet None yet

VT average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.